Automatically locking slider for slide fasteners



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July 20, 1954 J. BACKER 2,683,911

AUTOMATICALLY LOCKING SLIDER FOR SLIDE FASTENERS Filed May 9, 1952INVENTOR yoacflz'm JACKEA ATTORN EY Patented July 20, 1954 manAUTOMATICALLY LOCKING SLIDER FGR SLIDE FASTENERS Joachim Backer,Whitchurch, Glamorgan, Wales,

assignor to Aero Zipp Fasteners Limited, London, England, a Britishcompany Original application January 18, 1949, Serial No. 71,449, nowPatent No. 2,599,536, dated lane 10, 1952. Divided and this applicationMay 9, 1952,

Serial No. 286,995

Claims priority, application Great Britain May '7, 1948 9 Claims. 1

This is a divisional application divided out of the U. S. Patentapplication Ser. No. 71,449 filed on January 18, 1949, by JoachimBacker, for A Slider for a Slide Fastener, which matured into Patent No.2,599,536 granted on June 10, 1952.

The present invention relates to sliders for slide fasteners of theautomatically locking type, that is to say each slider comprises meansfor automatically looking it in position on the slide fastener toprevent unintentional movement of the slider, for example, when alateral pull is exerted on the end of the tapes carrying theinterlocking members of the slide fastener.

It is an object of the invention to provide an automatically lockingslider which i simple, is easy to manufacture, and is yet reliable inuse.

It is another object of the invention to provide an automaticallylocking slider which, as compared with known sliders, comprises areduced number of separate parts that have to be assembled.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will becomeapparent to those skilled in the art from the following detaileddescription of the invention when read in conjunction with the appendeddrawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is, on an enlarged scale, a perspective view of a slider of theinvention;

Fig. 2 is an exploded view of the slider of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line III-III of Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawings, 30 generally indicates a slider bodycomprising an upper shield I and a lower shield 2 opposing each otherand being joined in spaced parallel relationship from each other by aneck portion 5 in the shape of a wedge or the like to form a Y-shapedchannel 8 for the passage of opposing scoop carrying stringers of aslide fastener. The upper shield I has a flange 3, and the lower shield2 has a flange 4. An upstanding connecting lug i8 is arranged at one endof the slider body 30 and an upstanding abutment lug is arranged at theother end of said slider body. Both lugs are integral with the sliderbody and project upwardly from the upper hield l.

A one-piece locking-unit, generally indicated by Ill, comprising an openended channel shaped attaching portion 32, a flat spring portion is anda locking finger ll is arranged on the upper shield I. Said attachingportion 32 comprises two side walls [2 extending in the longitudinaldirection of the slider body 30 and an upper transverse wall Hconnecting said side walls. Furthermore,

said attaching portion 32 has extensions 2! at one end of each side wallit. The end of each extension 2| engages a surface of the connecting lugfor providing a pivotal or rocking mounting of the locking unit relativeto the upper shield l.

Each side wall l2 has at or near its center a recess l3 extending fromthe lower edge of the respective side wall upwards for hinging a pullmember 6 to the unit It. According to the embodiment shown in thedrawings the pull member G has a lower transverse bar or pivotal portion[9, which is engaged with said recesses it of the unit ill. The slidermay be moved along the rows of scoops or fastening members of the slidefastener for closing or opening the latter.

According to the embodiment shown in the drawings, the unit if] is madeof a single piece of material. Preferably a piece of material is punchedout from a suitable shaped blank metal, whereupon it is bent so as toassume the shape of a cap-like unit it] shown in the drawings.

An extension 3d of the upper transverse wall l I being integral with thelatter is bent relatively to said transverse wall so as to form a fiatspring portion [6, which bears under tension against a surface of theslider body by virtue of the abutment of its end 25 against the abuttinglug 28 forming a part of said slider body. In a preferred embodiment, asshown in the drawing, the flat spring portion I6 is bent downwardly andinwardly and upwardly again, being housed between the side walls l2.Said extension t l is of reduced thickness at 36 whereby it is renderedresilient relative to the remaining portions of the locking unit ID. Ifdesired, however, the extension 3% could be made of resilient materialhaving uniform thickness throughout. In such a case, preferably theentire unit It is made of resilient material. Each side wall l2 has atone of its ends the extension 2| and at its other end a projectingabutting element or lug 22. Furthermore, a locking finger ll projectsfrom one of said side walls I2. The extension 2!, the abutting element22 and the locking finger ii are integral with the respective side walll2.

When the slider is assembled, the extensions 2| are disposed in the areadefined by a recess or recesses 24 of the connecting lug iii in bearingcontact with a portion or portions of the adjacent wall of the lug l8 inthe manner of a pivot so that the unit may be tilted or rocked aboutsaid pivotal connection. Furthermore, the abutting elements 22 extendinto a recess 38 of the abutment lug 2d. Said recess 38 is wider thanthe height of said abutting elements 22. As mentioned above, theupwardly extending free end 25 of said flat spring portion is is engagedwith the abutment lug 2t.

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The spring portion it so mounted as to be tensioned or preloaded that itnormally urges that end of the cap-like unit IE! which lies adjacent theabutment lug 2Q downwards and causes the finger H, passing through aslot i of the upper shield i, to enter the Y-shaped channel 8 and tomove toward the lower shield 2.

Preferably, prior to the assembling of the parts the recess or recesses24 in the connecting lug 19 (or lugs, if the slider is provided with apair of spaced connecting lugs) are open so as to allow the free ends ofthe extensions 2i to enter said recess or recesses. The connecting lugor lugs H3 is or are subsequently bent down whereby the recess orrecesses 24 is or are closed around the ends of the extensions 25,thereby preventing, in cooperation with the cooperating abutment lug 20and abutting elements 22, disengagement of the cap-like unit It from theupper shield I, vhile allowing the unit E to swivel as mentioned above.

When the entire cap-like unit I8 is made of resilient material, althoughbeing rigid in its longitudinal direction owing to its construction, itcan be flexed laterally. Thus, in such a case, the lugs l8 and may be ofthe bent shape shown in the drawings prior to the assembling of theparts, and the cap-like unit l0 may be attached by flexing samelaterally and, thus, snapping same on to the lugs.

When a pull is exerted on the manually actuatable pull member 6, thelocking unit i9 is tilted about its pivots 26 against the biasing actionof its spring portion l6, until the abutting elements 22 of the unitabut against the upper edge of the recess 38 of the abutment lug 2E3 ofthe upper shield l whereby the locking finger i3 is lifted out of theY-shaped channel 8 and the slider is released for movement. Upon releaseof the pull member 6, the spring portion i6 returns the locking unit I6into the locking position shown in the drawings for locking engagementof its finger ll with fastener elements of the slide fastener.

Although, after the assembling of the parts, the pivotal connection at Nand the locking finger H engaged with the slot I prevent anunintentional lateral disengagement of the unit it, means, for examplein the shape of ribs or webs or extensions, could be arranged at thelugs if and 20 for cooperation with portions of the unit it so as toavoid a lateral displacement and separation thereof from the sliderbody, once it has been mounted between the lugs.

As will be readily understood from above, a slider according to theinvention comprises only three units engaged with each other, i. e. thefirst unit or the slider body including the upper shield, the lowershield and the neck portion joinin same, the second unit or locking unitincluding the attaching member in the shape of an open ended channel,the spring and the looking finger, and the third unit or pull member.second unit is in pivotal engagement with the first unit and is urgedinto locking position by the biasing action of its spring caused by abearing engagement of said spring with said first unit.

It is an essential feature of this invention that the spring portion I6is charged all the time to urge the locking finger ll of the lockingunit l9 1% into locking position and that the spring por-- tion I6 isincreasingly charged when a pull is exerted on a pull member 6 forrocking the locking unit into releasing position. The particularembodiment herein described provides a spring portion l8 which bears atits inner side with its end 25 against a surface of the slider body, forexample the abutment lug 20.

It should be clearly understood that the terms upper, lower and the likehave been used merely for the purpose of facilitating the description ofthe invention. The slider may, of course, be used in any suitableposition.

It should further be understood that the embodiments described andillustrated are given by way of example only, and that manymodifications, omissions, and additions are possible without departingfrom the spirit of this invention.

What I claim is:

1. An automatically locking slider for a slide fastener, comprising aslider body, a pull member for operating the slider, and a one-piecelocking unit, the said slider body having opposing shields, at least oneof which is apertured, connected in spaced relationship to each other toform a Y- shaped channel for the passage of opposing scoop carryingstringers of a slide fastener; longitudinally spaced abutments disposedat opposing ends of said one shield of said slider body, said lockingunit at one end portion being rockably mounted on one of said abutments,the said locking unit comprising an open ended channel shaped attachingportion for linking said pull member to said slider body, a lockingfinger, and a fiat spring portion, said attaching portion extendingalong the one shield and comprising two side walls extending in thelongitudinal direction of said slider body, and a transverse wallconnecting said side walls, said locking finger being integral with oneof said side walls and extending therefrom beyond said one shield,through the aperture thereof, towards said other shield, said fiatspring portion being integral with, and projecting from one end of, saidtransverse wall and being curvilinearly bent and extendinglongitudinally within the space between said side walls and bearingunder tension at its free end against the other of said abutments, thesaid flat spring portion thereby being pre-loaded for normally biasingsaid locking unit about its rockable mounting and thereby urging thefree end of said locking finger towards said other shield, and meansoperatively connecting said pull member with said attaching portion andactuatable, upon exertion of a pull on said pull member, to move thefree end of said locking finger away from said other shield against thebiasing action of said spring portion.

2. An automatically locking slider for a slide fastener, comprising aslider body, a pull member for operating the slider, and a one-piecelocking unit, the said slider body having opposing shields, at least oneof which is apertured, connected in spaced relationship to each other toform a Y'- shaped channel for the passage of opposing scoop carryingstringers of a slide fastener; longitudinally spaced abutments disposedat opposing ends of said one shield of said slider body, said lockingunit at one end portion being rockably mounted on one of said abutments,the said locking unit comprising an open ended channel shaped attachingportion for linking said pull member to said slider body, a lockingfinger, and a flat spring portion, said attaching portion extendingalong the one shield and comprising two side walls extending in thelongitudinal direction of said slider body, and a transverse Wallconnecting said side walls, said locking finger being integral with oneof said side walls and extending therefrom beyond said one shield,through the aperture thereof, towards said other shield, said fiatspring portion being integral with, and projecting from one end of, saidtransverse wall and being curvilinearly bent and extendinglongitudinally within the space between said side walls and bearingintermediate of its length against said one shield to provide a fulcrumand bearing under tension at its free end against the other of saidabutments, the said flat spring portion thereby being pre-loaded fornormally biasing said locking unit about its rockable mounting andthereby urging the free end of said locking finger towards said othershield, and means operatively connecting said pull member with saidattaching portion and actuatable, upon exertion of a pull on said pullmember, to move the free end of said locking finger away from said othershield against the biasing action of said spring portion.

3. An automatically locking slider for a slide fastener, comprising aslider body, a pull memher for operating the slider, and a one-piecelooking unit, the said slider body having opposing shields, at least oneof which is apertured, connected in spaced relationship to each other toform a Y-shaped channel for the passage of opposing scoop carryingstringers of a slide fastener, an upstanding abutment at one end and anupstanding connecting lug at the other end rigid with said one shield ofsaid slider body, one

end portion of said locking unit being rockably mounted on saidconnecting lug, the said locking unit comprising an open ended channelshaped attaching portion for linking said pull member to said sliderbody, a locking finger, and a flat spring portion, said attachingportion extending along the one shield and comprising two side wallsextending in the longitudinal direction of said slider body, and atransverse wall connecting said side walls, said locking finger beingintegral with one of said side walls and extending therefrom beyond saidone shield, through the aperture thereof, towards said other shield,said flat spring portion being integral with, and projecting from oneend of, said transverse wall and being curved to extend into the spacebetween said side walls to bear intermediate of its length against aportion of said slider body and to bear under tension at its free endagainst said abutment, the said flat spring portion thereby beingpre-loaded for normally biasing said locking unit about its rockablemounting and thereby urging the free end of said locking finger towardssaid other shield, and means operatively connecting said pull memberwith said attaching portion and actuatable, upon exertion of a pull onsaid pull member, to move the free end of said locking finger away fromsaid other shield against the biasing action of said spring portion.

4. An automatically locking slider for a slide fastener, comprising aslider body, a pull member for operating the slider, and a one-piecelocking unit, the said slider body having opposing shields, at least oneof which is apertured, connected in spaced relationship to each other toform a Y- shaped channel for the passage of opposing scoop carryinstringers of a slide fastener, an abutment at one end and an upstandingconnecting lug at the other end rigid with said one shield of saidslider body, said connecting lug having a recess, the said locking unitcomprising an open ended channel shaped attaching portion for linkingsaid pull member to said slider body, a pair of extensions, a lockingfinger, and a fiat spring portion, said attaching portion extendingalong the one shield and comprising two side walls extending in thelongitudinal direction of said slider body, and a transverse wallconnecting said side Walls, each of said extensions being integral withand forming a longitudinally extending continuation of one of said sidewalls and being disposed in rockable engagement with said connectinglug, said recess of said locking finger being integral with one of saidside walls and extending therefrom beyond said one shield, through theaperture thereof, toward said other shield, said flat spring portionbeing integral with, and projecting from one end of, said transversewall and being curved to extend into the space between said side wallsto bear at an intermediate point of its curve against a portion of saidslider body and to bear under tension at its free end against saidabutment, the said flat spring portion thereby being pre-loaded fornormally biasing said locking unit about its rockable engagement andthereby urging the free end of said locking finger toward said othershield, and means operatively connecting said pull member with saidattaching portion and actuatable, upon exertion of a pull on said pullmember, to move the free end of said locking finger away from said othershield against the biasing action of said spring portion.

5. In an automatically locking slider as claimed in claim 3, andabutting means arranged on said locking unit arranged for cooperationwith said abutment so as to limit the end position of said locking unitupon exertion of a pull on said pull member.

6. In an automatically locking slider as claimed in claim 4, saidlocking unit, including its extensions, being made of resilient materialand being flexible in its lateral direction while being rigid in itslongitudinal direction.

'7. In an automatically locking slider as claimed in claim 4, abuttingmeans arranged on said looking unit for cooperation with said abutmentso as to limit the end position of said locking unit upon exertion of apull on said pull member, and said locking unit including its extensionsbeing made of resilient material and being flexible in its lateraldirection while being rigid in its longitudinal direction.

8. An automatically locking slider for a slide fastener, comprising aslider body, a pull memher for operating the slider, and a one piecelooking unit, the said slider having opposing shields, at least one ofwhich is apertured, connected in spaced relationship to each other toform a Y- shaped channel for the passage of opposing scoop carryingstringers of a slide fastener; longitudinally spaced abutments disposedat opposing ends of said one shield of said slider body, said lockingunit extending between said abutments and being rockably mounted on oneof said abutments; the said locking unit comprising an attaching portionfor linking said pull member to said slider body, a locking finger, anda fiat spring portion; said attaching portion extending along said oneshield between said abutments, said locking finger being integral withsaid attaching portion and depending at one end thereof through theaperture of said one shield towards said other shield, and said flatspring portion being integral with the other end of said attachingmember and being curvilinearly bent to extend between said abutments andbearing under tension at its free end against the other of saidabutments, the said flat spring portion thereby being pre-loaded fornormally biasing said locking unit about its rockable mounting, andurging the free end of said locking finger towards said other shield,and means operatively connecting said pull member with said attachingportion and actuable upon exertion of a pull on said pull member, tomove a free end of said locking. finger away from said other shieldagainst the biasing action of said spring portion.

9 An automatically locking slider for a slide fastener, comprising aslider body, a pull member for operating the slider, and a one piecelocking unit, the said slider having opposing shields, at least one ofwhich is apertured, connected in spaced relationship to each other toform a Y- shaped channel for the passage of opposing scoop carryingstringers of a slide fastener; longitudinally spaced abutments disposedat opposing ends of said one shield of said slider body, said lockingunit extending between said abutments, and being rockably mounted on oneof said abutments; the said locking unit comprising an attaching portionfor linking said pull member to said slider body, a locking finger, anda fiat spring portion; said attaching portion extending along said oneshield between said abutments,

said one shield to provide a fulcrum and bearing under tension at itsfree end against the other of said abutments, the said flat springportion thereby being pre-loaded for normally biasing said locking unitabout its rockable mounting,

and urging the free end of said locking finger towards said othershield, and means operatively connected said pull member with saidattaching portion and actua'ble upon exertion of a pull on said pullmember, to move a free end of said locking finger away from said othershield against the biasing action of said spring portion.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,591,732 Atch'ley July 6, 1926 2,018,948 Corner Oct. 29, 19352,280,968 Hewhall Apr. 28, 1942 2,296,825 Carlile Sept. 29, 19422,521,651 Poux Sept. 5, 19.50

